Breath and Breathing
“I know well from a history of panic attacks that shallow, quickened breath is a symptom of deep distress. I also know well the wild...
Noise
“…it does not help that our image and sound rich society creates a living space that is extremely noisy. All around us there are...
Anxiety
“Our Risen Lord has liberated us from slavery to the fear of death, which is at the root of all our anxiety and despair. So the next time...
Stillness (Hesychia)
“The person needs solitude as much as, if not more than, relationships to develop and blossom. This is borne out by the experience of...
Distraction
“…we are always blessed when we urgently serve the Lord, for He is our true life. He is able to draw us out of the slough of secular...
Passing Judgment
“Saint Paul reveals several ways in which we fall into the trap of judging, beyond directly expressing our opinion of others. Clearly,...
Resurrection
“St. Maximus the Confessor describes human beings as a “microcosm,” that is, as the universe (cosmos) made small (micro). This indicates...
Entertainment
“Our culture has trained people to become an audience. A theater performance, a concert, and a Church service are all of a piece. Worse...
Obstacles
“…our awareness is so freighted with thinking. Whenever we turn within we meet chatter, thinking, and commenting…But because the...
Illusions
“In chapter 3 of Genesis, the tragic moments of what we call the Fall are described. People ‘rebelled’ and sought to become gods...